Baby Doll

TV writer Overton’s compelling first novel opens where most thrillers end. One winter night, Lilly Riser succeeds in escaping with Sky, the daughter she bore her captor, Rick, who has held her for eight years in the basement of the isolated cabin that he uses as a writing retreat. Rick forgot to bolt the cabin door before going to visit his wife, Missy, whom he heartily dislikes. When Lily reaches the highway, she realizes that she’s just five miles from Crested Glenn, her suburban hometown, which appears to be near New York City. She’s flooded with memories of high school track meets, proms, and happy times shared with her twin sister, Abby. As she climbs the steps of her family home, she thinks that her ordeal is finally over. What follows is an examination of the aftermath of this horrible crime and its impact on her family. Key scenes from the perspective of Rick, a master manipulator, help build the tension. Overton throws in enough twists, turns, and surprises to keep the reader wondering what on earth can happen next. Agent: Eve Attermann, William Morris Endeavor. (July)